Top European mare Snow Fairy will miss the rest of the 2012 racing season due to heat in a foreleg, The Racing Post reported Sept. 29.
The 5-year-old runner, 8-1 favorite for the Oct. 7 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) at Longchamp, came back with the injury after turning in a Sept. 28 breeze for trainer Ed Dunlop in preparation for her upcoming start. She finished third in the Arc last year.
"We don't know everything yet but she did her final piece of serious work yesterday and she worked very well," Dunlop told the Racing Post Sept. 29. "But at evening stables we realized she has a bit of heat in her foreleg.
"With veterinary advice we decided risking her in the Arc in a week's time was not an option, and as she was missing the Arc we thought the best thing to do would be to put her away and give her every chance to recover."
Snow Fairy is a daughter of Intikhab who has raced to seven group I victories in five different countries. Among her conquests are the 2010 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) and the 2010 and 2011 editions of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-I).
This year she returned from a tendon injury to take the Aug. 19 Darley Prix Romanet (Fr-I) at Deauville, then broke the Leopardstown track record winning the Sept. 8 Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I) for owner Christina Patino, who races her under the name Anamoine Limited.
Patrick Cooper, Patino's racing manager, told the Racing Post: "It is a separate issue to the one which sidelined her earlier this year. Provided that she makes a full recovery, Mrs Patino has confirmed that Snow Fairy will remain in training next year."
In the Irish Champion, Snow Fairy earned an automatic expense-paid berth in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park as part of the "Win and You're In" promotion, and her connections had spoken positively of bringing her to North America.
Patino bred the mare in Ireland under her Windflower Overseas Holdings. She is of the Charmwood Forest mare Woodland Dream.
